Improvement in explosive shells



H. HALVORSON.

Shell. No 40,538 Patented Nov. 3,}863.

N. PiTzRs, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON D c.

HALVOR HALVORSON,

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 40,538, dated November 3, 1863.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HALVOR HALVORSON, of Cambridge, in the county ofMiddleseX and State of Massachusetts, have invented'a certain new and useful Improvement on Shells for Ordnance; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and marks thereon.

By the drawings forming part of this specification a shell is represented having my improvement as a part thereof, Figure 1 of these drawings being a view by elevation; Fig. 2, a view by vertical longitudinal section, and Fig. 3 being a View of the base or bottom of the shell without the baseplate in position. In each of these figuresnvhere like parts are shown, like letters and marks are used to indicate the parts.

The shell here represented is of cylindrical form, having a mouth, a, in communication with a central passage, 1), atthe lower sides of which are openings cto channels (Z, that terminate on the periphery e of the shell. A base plate, I), with suitable packing properly secured, will close thelower end of the central passage, f, so that when the shell has been discharged from the gun or mortar the air passing through the mouth, central passage, openings, and channels will produce rotation of the shell.

The space 9 in the body of the shell for the explosive material may be as much greateror less than that here shown as may be deemed necessarv for the Arecessed annular cap, h, the sides of which are indicated in Fig. 2 by blue lines, covers and embraces the sides of the opening to the explosion-chamber of the shell. (Indicated by red lines.) This cap may be made of any suitable metal or other material, holding a fulminate on the interior of the cap, and so affixed or attached to the shell as may be deemed best for the purpose required. It is evident that this shell being properly loaded and capped, cannot fall or strike without exploding, and therefore establishing its superiority over those whose fnlminate is at the apex of a conical forin and much liable to glance and not explode.

What I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The exterior explosive chamber lying eX- terior and around the central passage, and in combination therewith and 'with the mouth, and air openings and passages for producing rotation of the shell, as herein set forth.

2. The cap it, in combination with the eX- plosive chamber 9, as and for the purposes herein described.

This specification signed this 9th day of July, 1868.

HALVOR HALVORSON.

Witnesses:

DAVID W. CHILD, TYLER R. VVASGATT, Jr. 

